Dunking With Wolves
Fansided

Checking in on the Minnesota Timberwolves’ top 3 offseason additions

By Ian Kasdan

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - OCTOBER 27: Jake Layman #10 of the Minnesota Timberwolves dunks the ball against the Miami Heat on October 27, 2019 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - OCTOBER 27: Jake Layman #10 of the Minnesota Timberwolves dunks the ball against the Miami Heat on October 27, 2019 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 4
Next
Minnesota Timberwolves, Shabazz Napier
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – NOVEMBER 4: Shabazz Napier #13 of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Jordan Johnson/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Shabazz Napier

On his fifth team in six seasons, Shabazz Napier is looking to prove that he is a quality backup point guard in the NBA. So far, Napier is on his way to doing just that.

During the offseason, the Wolves lost depth at the point guard position with the departures of Tyus Jones and Derrick Rose. But, in a new space-and-pace offensive system that would flow through Towns, an abundance of point guards to handle the ball was deemed unnecessary.

Through their acquisition of Napier from the Warriors, the Wolves effectively stated that they would be relying on the 28-year-old’s experience with associate head coach David Vanterpool‘s defensive system in Portland and assistant coach and offensive coordinator Pablo Prigioni‘s system in Brooklyn to help anchor the Wolves’ reconstructed second unit.

As the only point guard besides Jeff Teague on the Wolves’ roster, Napier has performed admirably. Through six games, Napier is averaging 7.8 points per game and 4.5 assists per game despite shooting what would be the second-lowest true shooting percentage of his career at 47 percent.

A career 3-point shooter of 35 percent, Napier’s willingness to continuously toss up attempts behind the arc forces defenders to step up, opening up lanes for both drives and passes to cutting screen setters.

In this clip, Napier uses his threat as a shooter to force an aggressive Garrett Temple to chase him over a screen set by Noah Vonleh, then using that aggression from Temple to pull up at the free throw line and draw the foul.

One of the few respectable 3-point shooters on this Wolves roster, head coach Ryan Saunders will continue to draw up simple actions such as this for Napier because of his shiftiness both inside and outside the arc.

Outside of minutes during which Andrew Wiggins and Jarrett Culver will operate as ball-handlers, the Wolves’ second unit will be counting on Napier to improve his shooting percentages while still facilitating between smart cutters such as Layman and Josh Okogie.

If he is unable to do so, the Wolves space-and-pace system will be exacerbated even further by its lack of effective marksmen.

Home/Timberwolves News